Cinnamon Girl
by Mira Cohen
Summary: One of those 'Someone from Arizona's past arrives at Seattle Grace' story lines. Yep, I suck at summaries. Everything belongs to ABC/Shonda- no copyright infringement is intended.
1. Chapter 1

It had been a day like any other at Seattle Grace - Mercy West Hospital when Dr. Callie Torres pulled the beeping pager from the waistband of her scrubs and squinted at the display.

Our spot. 5 Mins xx 3 A

The orthopedic surgeon smiled and shook her head slightly. Ever since she had confessed to Arizona about her past as a basement dwelling loner, the blonde had been dragging her down to the old cot that was still tucked away in the corner of the pipe room every spare moment they had. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they ate, sometimes they just lay and held each other. Most of the time though, Callie would arrive down to find her girlfriend bouncing impatiently on the bed with eyes burning so full of lust, they almost scorched Callie's very soul.

Holding that thought in her mind, she shouldered open the heavy metal door only to stop dead in her tracks. Sitting cross legged on the ground in front of her leaning with her back to the wall was a young girl so deep in thought that she never heard the door open. Callie frowned and cleared her throat, finally catching the stranger's attention. The girl's head snapped around in surprise.

"Oh! Hi! Sorry, I didn't expect to see anyone else down here." She stammered.

"Yeah...well..this is kinda my spot...." Callie hinted. The girl gave her a once over, taking in the lab jacket and scrubs.

"You work here?" She inquired, her head tilted. Something about the gesture tugged at the back of Callie's mind.

"I do. I'm a surgeon."

"Ok well then you must know of a million other places in this hospital to hide away and sulk in. I got here first." The girl finished, a hint of defiance in her voice. Callie frowned. This was not how she had planned on spending her break. She was supposed to be wrapped around her smoking hot girlfriend and building up a sweat right about now, not starting a turf war with some random, smart mouthed college kid. Her train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of Arizona.

"Hey! Sorry after I paged you I got cornered by one of Yang's interns who..." Arizona's rambling trailed off as she became aware of the third presence in the room and the apparent battle of wills that was being waged between her girlfriend and the stranger. She was about to ask what was going on when her jaw literally hit the ground. "Casey?!" she stuttered in disbelief.

The girl's head whipped around and Callie watched in disbelief and a whole lot of confusion as the stranger, who was apparently called Casey and apparently knew Arizona, jumped up and wrapped the blonde in a bone crushing bearhug.

"Oh my God!! ZoZo!" She squealed. The two stayed in a tight embrace for what seemed like an eternity before breaking apart so could Arizona hold Casey at arms length and look her over.

"I can't believe it's really you! What are you doing here?!" Arizona questioned, all the while alternating between squeezing Casey's shoulders and shaking the girl excitedly. Callie blinked a few times to keep her eyes from falling out of their sockets and rolling around on the dirty concrete floor. She had no idea what was going on and no one seemed to have any inclination to fill her in. In fact, it was as if both Arizona and the brat had completely forgotten she was there. And what kind of lame-ass nickname was ZoZo? And why did Arizona allow herself to be called that?

She turned her attention back to the girl who was rambling about visiting a friend who had fallen down some stairs after a few too many drinks at a party. The girl's eyes were darting nervously around the pump room, her head alternately tilting and bobbing as she answered Arizona's questions. Callie's eyes narrowed- the mannerisms, the gestures - they were all stomach-droppingly familiar. She was about to interrupt the reunion with some questions of her own when the shrill noise of a beeper cut through the air. A soft curse from Arizona revealed it was her who had been paged.

"It's a 911 from Bailey, I really have to go." She apologised to Casey before turning to Callie. "Calliope here can show you up to the Attending's lounge. Please, please don't go anywhere before we've had a chance to catch up?" she begged. Callie raised her eyebrows, not appreciating being completely ignored only to be roped into playing tour guide and babysitter without any explanation as to who this person was or how she was connected to Arizona. She was all set to object when the blonde surgeon directed the full force of her puppy dog eyes her way. Callie's shoulder's dropped in defeat- there was no way she could refuse her girlfriend anything when confronted with those baby blues. Arizona flashed her a quick dimpley smile, gave Casey one last quick squeeze and disappeared down the corridor to the elevator.

Callie sighed in annoyance and frustration and couldn't help glaring at her charge. For her part Casey had the good grace to look sheepish and did her best to avoid the angry surgeon's eyes, turning her head deflect the worst of it. It was then that she saw the cot tucked away in the corner of the room and the proverbial light bulb went off.

"You're Arizona's girlfriend?" she smirked. Callie glared harder, crossed her arms and tossed her hair back over her shoulder. "Ok Xena, I'll take that as a yes. Before you rip my head off for interrupting your sexy time" Casey continued, jerking her thump in the direction of the cot, "just remember, it wasn't me who paged her. I believe it was someone called Bailey you should be directing your anger at. You can show me this Attending lounge on the way..." she finished and strolled past the now fuming Callie. I took all of Callie's maturity not to stamp her foot in frustration. Settling for an eye roll and a string of muttered curses instead, she followed after the newly crowned bane of her life.


	2. Chapter 2

They rode the elevator in stony silence to the surgical floor, where Callie escorted the girl to the lounge and followed her in. Casey flopped onto the couch and stretched her legs in front of her. Callie took the time to properly inspect her. She was tall, about 5ft 10 at a guess and slim in a fit, 'probably plays soccer way' rather than a 'probably hurls after every meal' way. She had wavy shoulder length red hair and extremely bright green eyes. She looked nothing like Arizona yet everything about her reminded Callie of her girlfriend- the same speech patterns, mannerisms and facial expressions...they even walked the same way. Callie searched her brain for a logical explanation- she knew Arizona had no sisters and that neither of her brother's had kids. A cousin maybe? A really close cousin? Callie dismissed the idea outright. Arizona often talked about both her immediate and extended family and would surely have mentioned having a close relationship with a younger relative. Besides, Callie had cousins she was close to and looked out for in a big sister kind of way but not to the point where they adopted her every mannerism.

"Thinking too hard gives you wrinkles" Casey grinned up at the surgeon, interrupting her train of thought.

"Thanks, Malibu Stacey" Callie shot back, beyond irritated at this point.

"OK, I guess we haven't exactly started off on the best of terms. Let's try again, my name is Casey Devereux. I'm super happy to meet you Dr....." she extended her hand towards Callie.

"Torres" Callie grudgingly clasped the girl's slender hand and gave it quick shake. "How do you know Arizona?" she asked, deciding to cut to the chase.

Instead of answering the question posed, Casey gave her a searching look "Do you love her?" she inquired gently.

Callie's eyebrows knitted in confusion at the abrupt turn the conversation had taken. "I'm not sure yet how that is any of your business" she started "but yes, I do love her. A lot. More than anything actually."

"And you would never leave her? Or hurt her" Casey continued, a slight hitch in her voice.

"What's this about Casey?" Callie lowered herself onto the couch beside her.

"Arizona used to date my Mom" Casey began quietly "they were together nearly six years before my Mom left her for some skanky French sculptor or woodworker...I dunno exactly what she did, something to do with installation art using natural materials and recycled or recovered scrap..."

"Casey..." Callie warned as the girl strayed further and further off topic.

"Sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous. Anyway, so yeah my mom walked out on both of us. My dad had a new wife and baby and couldn't" Casey shrugged "wouldn't take me in. I was shipped off to live with my Nan." Callie winced in sympathy while Casey collected herself before continuing her story.

"She ruined everything, my mom. She was never going to win any mother of year awards as it was and to be honest I wasn't terribly cut up at the prospect of her moving overseas- what made me angry, what made me really hate her, is that she took Arizona away from me. She left us both and because of that I lost the best parent I'd ever had" Casey sniffed and swiped at her eyes "I was moved to New England and we lost touch and that was that. We wrote a bit and she came to visit me a few times but then I moved for college and she came out here and, well...you know how it is."

Callie released a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. Out of all the possible scenarios that had been bouncing around her head she would never have come up with anything close to what Casey had just told her. Why hadn't Arizona ever mentioned being in a six year relationship with a single mother?! Or the fact that the same woman had chewed up her heart, spit it out and moved to France with a sculptor? Or was it woodworker? Whatever! Why hadn't she said anything?

"Not what you were expecting? Casey drawled.

"Not even close, I mean, I don't know what I thought. You're so like her you know? I knew there was something...I just....huh" Callie shrugged.

"She was my greatest role model, not that I had many to chose from mind you. But, yeah she raised me through my formative years, I pretty much idolised her, wanted to be just like her." Casey grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Well I see a lot of her in you" Callie started "which is how I know you lied when you said you were here visiting a friend...." Casey's eyebrows shot into her hairline as she gaped at Callie "Oh don't look so surprised. You both fidget and look to your left before doing this nose scrunch thing, it's so obvious. Come on, spill-what really brought you to Seattle. And don't say the weather because we both know that would be another lie" Callie finished.

TBC....


	3. Chapter 3

"I came for a consult with Chief Sheppard"Casey slouched back into the sofa cushions and picked absently at a loose thread on the sleeve of her sweater as she talked "my Doctor in Boston referred me, he's an old college friend or golf buddy ot something. Anyway he said that Sheppard was more God than surgeon and he's be my best hope for salvation, or words to that effect."

"And?" Callie prodded.

"And, well he was younger than I was expecting. Hot in a distinguished older gentleman kind of way although I'm not sure about his hair... "

"You're doing it again, with the rambling..."

"Yes, sorry. I went for a routine medical last week, and apparently I've been strolling around with a cerebral aneurysm for God knows how long...well actually probably since late last month when I hit my head playing touch football with some friends. It left me a bit dazed and confused at the time so...they reckon that's what caused it."

"What did Sheppard say?" Callie prodded further.

"He gave me my options- I can walk away and it may never burst and I could potentially live to be a million years old without any complications. On the other hand, I can walk away and it could burst tomorrow, leaving me paralysed or brain-dead or just dead in general" Casey shrugged "or I can let him operate and he can try clip the blood vessel feeding my aneurysm, thus curing me and allowing me to live to be a million years old."

"So? When are you having the surgery?"

"When you bumped into me earlier, in the basement, I was considering my options. Dr. Sheppard can operate tomorrow if that's what I decide..."

"What do you mean 'If that's what I decide?!' you have to have the surgery!" Callie interrupted.

"The aneurysm, where it is on my brain...success rate is only 7%" Casey faltered "If Sheppard screws up, or something goes wrong...well I end up paralysed or brain-dead or just dead in general" she finished, repeating her earlier concerns. "Before you say anything else, I'm not telling Arizona."

"What? Why not?!" Callie demanded.

"Because she'll cry...don't you hate it when she cries? And she works with sick kids so she's already probably averaging waterworks about eight or nine times a day."

"Casey you have to tell her. If she meant as much to you as you say she did then you owe it to her to tell her about the surgery. I know her, she must have been as distraught and angry as you were when you guys were forced apart...give her a chance to be here for you now" Callie pleaded.

Casey sighed and started picking at her sweater again. Callie watched as the young girl's brow furrowed and relaxed as a range of emotions made their way across her face and marveled once again at how much like Arizona she was. She reached out and took the fidgeting hand in her own.

"Casey?"

"I'm sorry Callie but my mind's made up, I'm not having the surgery" Casey squeezed her hand and smiled sadly. Neither of them had heard the door opening.

"What surgery?!" Two heads whipped around to see a puzzled and concerned looking Arizona Robbins silhouetted in the doorway.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

Arizona watched curiously as the two people seated in front of her both gulped audibly and simultaneously before shooting each other worried glances. She was about to repeat her question when Casey nearly jumped out of her seat in excitement.

"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!" she blurted somewhat over-enthusiastically.

"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?" Arizona was super puzzled now. She had been standing outside the lounge enjoying a few moments of observation over her two most favourite people. Seeing Casey again after so many years was so unexpected and so exciting...and seeing her huddled on the couch talking and getting along with Callie warmed her to right down to her toenails. Her plan had been to suggest dinner at her and Callie's favourite restaurant and a good long catch up after which she would go back to her girlfriend's apartment to answer the brunette's no doubt numerous questions about Casey and her relationship with Casey's mom and, all going well, finish the night with some uber hot mattress action. She had not expected to walk in and hear them talking about potential surgeries.

"Um, yeah ZoZo...I have Carpal Tunnel in my left wrist..It's pretty bad and, uh, I mentioned it to Callie who suggested endoscopic surgery. I don't think my case merits such drastic measures just yet though...I'll stick to regular physio for now. But yeah I didn't want her mentioning it to you 'cause, well, you're such a worry wart and....yeah. Hey who's hungry?!"

Callie rolled her eyes inwardly at the absolute nonsense spouting from Casey's mouth. Honestly, how could Arizona not realise she was being lied to?! This had to be more obvious than the time Christina lied her way onto an ill-fated paed's service.

"Oh, well, honey if it's causing you pain then perhaps a more aggressive treatment approach is in order don't you think? Maybe Callie could give you a consult?" Arizona offered sweetly.

"Maybe" Casey mumbled. Callie noticed she had the good grace to look guilty.

"We can talk about it over dinner! Let's go! Callie do you need to change?"

The dark haried surgeon nodded "Why don't you guys go to Joe's and I'll catch up with you there, I'm sure you have lot's to talk about" she added pointedly, giving Casey a hard look. Arizona nodded and frowned slighlty. Callie caught the look on her girlfriend's face, correctly summarising that Arizona was afraid she was pissed at her for not having mentioned the whole Casey thing before. Stopping in her tracks she turned to give the distraught looking blonde a quick but firm kiss. "I love you" she reassured "I won't be long ok,? I'll see you down there." She was rewarded by a relieved smile from Arizona and a muttered 'Get a room' from Casey.

"I had a room- before you showed up." She winked and disappeared out the door.

TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

Arizona and Casey arrived into Joe's to find the place jammed with hospital shift who had all come off shift on or around the same time as Arizona. They were just about able to squeeze into two stools at the bar.

"What'll you have?!" Arizona shouted to be heard over the jukebox.

"Whatever beer's on draught!" Casey yelled back and grinned at the expression on Arizona's face as she totted up her mental arithmetic.

"Oh my God?! You are not 22?! When did you get so old?! My little Cinnamon girl is all grown up" she pouted.

"Aw ZoZo, you know I hate when you call me that- living with red hair is traumatic enough without having to live with a red hair themed nickname on top of things!" Casey bantered back.

After a quick inspection of Casey's ID by an apologetic Joe, they were able to move to a table a bit away from the bar near the dart board. They sat in a few moments of companionable silence and sipped on their drinks.

"So...have you heard from you mom recently?" Arizona ventured nervously.

"An email on my birthday. Not a birthday email, mind you....just a run of the mill email that happened to arrive on my birthday" Casey rolled her eyes.

"Oh. Is she still..?"

"Still in France, still with What's-her-name?" the redhead interrupted. Arizona nodded. "Yes, to both. They..." Casey was stunned into horrified silence at the sight of Derek Sheppard slowly making his way over to their table.

"Oh sweetheart, we don't have to talk about it. I didn't mean to upset you" Arizona offered, mistaking Casey's abrupt silence as an unwillingness to drag up the past.

"Um..no, I'm fine I..." Casey stumbled over her words and took a gulp of beer as she watched the neurosurgeon get closer and closer to Arizona. He was just in range to tap her shoulder in greeting when he was abruptly yanked backwards into the crowd. Casey's mouthful of beer sprayed everywhere in surprise and relief, showering the table in the process. Craning her neck, she just caught sight of Sheppard being dragged back to the bar by a panicked looking ortho attending and sent up a quick prayer of thanksgiving for small favours.

"Case? Are you ok?" Arizona's concerned voice brought her back to her senses and she quickly grabbed some napkins to try mop up some of the mess she'd just made.

"I'm fine...I'm sorry. Did I get you?" she asked, offering a paper towel across the table.

"No, you missed me...why were you aiming for me?" Arizona joked weakly. She knew something was up but didn't want to push Casey for details, knowing from experience that too many questions would cause the girl to clam up completely and sit in stubborn silence.

"Dr. Torres! What are you doing?!" A bewildered Derek Sheppard demanded as he found himself being manhandled across the bar by his ortho attending.

"I'm trying to save you from putting your foot in it with Casey and Arizona" Callie countered as she manoeuvred him onto a bar stool. "Buy me a drink and I'll explain."

Derek listened intently as Callie summarised Arizona and Casey's history and her conversation with the redhead from earlier in the afternoon.

"So she's not having the surgery?" he clarified.

"No and she won't tell Arizona about it either" Callie threw her hands up in despair. "I don't know what to do. I can't force her to tell Arizona just like I can't force her to have the surgery. But if she walks away now and something happened....if Arizona found out I knew about her condition she'd never speak to me again."

"What would Arizona do? If your positions were reversed and you were being kept in the dark over something as serious as this, what would she do?" Derek questioned her. Callie sighed and slumped back in her seat.

"She'd tell me" she whispered.

"Do what you have to do Torres. Telling Dr. Robbins, well that's not my place to interfere. I will however strongly urge you to talk to Casey about reconsidering the prospect of surgery. If you or Arizona need my back-up on that, you know where to find me." Callie nodded her thanks and slid off the stool. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and made her way to her girlfriend's side.

TBC...


	6. Chapter 6

Callie arrived at the table just as Arizona stood up to head to the restroom. "Oh there you are!" She grinned happily and leaned in for a kiss. Callie obliged and bent to press her lips against the petite blonde's. They broke away after a few seconds and some not very subtle cough noises from Casey. "I'll be right back" Arizona winked at her girls before disappearing into the crowd. Callie took a few moments to watch her walk away before pulling out a free chair and collapsing into it.

"Hey Callie, thanks for that...with Sheppard. I owe you..." she interrupted Casey with a raised hand.

"Here's the deal kid. You asked me if I loved Arizona which, as I already mentioned, I do- with all my heart. You asked me if I'd ever hurt her" Callie glanced back towards the bathroom door before continuing "and the answer is no, I would never knowingly hurt her. If I could help it I would never, ever hurt her." She took a quick sip of wine, giving Casey time to absorb every word "Which is why, if you don't tell her about the surgery I will. I mean it Casey, do the right thing" Callie pleaded.

Casey knew the dark haired surgeon sitting beside her was right. Her shoulders sagged as the weight of reality settled firmly and uncomfortably upon them. Staring down at her hands she inspected her fingernails. She was so engrossed that she didn't notice Arizona slip back onto her chair and begin chatting about where to go to for dinner. She was vaguely aware of Callie making non-committal answers whilst kicking her in the shin every few words. Sighing deeply she eventually raised her head to meet the enquiring gaze of Arizona.

"Callie, I think there's someone at the bar waving at you" she muttered without breaking eye contact with the paediatric surgeon. Callie nodded her understanding and made herself scarce, opting to return to the empty seat beside Derek.

Arizona watched her go before turning back to the visibly distressed girl in front of her. "Casey, I know you and I know when something's wrong. You've been preoccupied with something all day. Please talk to me sweetheart, let me help" she pleaded.

"ZoZo...promise me you won't cry?" she begged in barely a whisper.

"You're scaring me now Case" Arizona reached across the table to grab hold of a shaking hand. She gave it a supportive squeeze "tell me."

Casey took a deep breath and recounted her story for what felt like the millionth time that day. Starting with the bang on the head she took during the football game up as far as the consultation she'd had with Dr. Sheppard that afternoon. She finished by outlining the options Derek had left her with and looked up to gauge Arizona's reaction. The blonde's chin was quivering and she was swallowing hard, trying to get rid of the lump that had taken up residence in her throat. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. Casey smiled sadly "See, I knew you'd cry."

"Oh Casey...please tell me you're having the surgery?"

"I..." the younger woman faltered as she tried to avoid looking Arizona in the eye "...no. I don't want the surgery." She heard the surprised gasp and felt the hand holding hers squeeze involuntarily tighter.

"Casey please think about this. I know it's scary but please don't walk away from this. Let me help you, let me be there for you...please I..." she choked back a sob "...can't lose you again. You're my little Cinnamon Girl, my sugar and spice and all things nice and I lost you...but you're back now and..and..." Arizona couldn't back the tears any longer and as the dam burst and she collapsed into Casey's side, Callie- who had been watching surreptitiously from her perch at the bar jumped down from her stool, intent on comforting her broken hearted lover. A firm hand gripping her upper arm stopped her in her tracks and she turned to see Derek shake his head. "Wait" he mouthed. She leaned back against his stool and let the scene unfold in front of her.

"I'm sorry ZoZo...I know this is hard for you too but I'm not a kid anymore and I've been looking after myself for a long time...I've had too" Casey had never felt such self loathing as she did the moment Arizona broke down in her arms. "It wasn't an easy decision for me I just..." she trailed off deciding to quit while she was behind.

Earlier, when she had been sitting alone in the hospital basement, she had spent nearly two full hours weighing her options. The deciding factor had been that she had no one to lean on for support but herself. If she went for surgery and it went wrong then she'd be nothing but a vegetable in a bed hooked up to tubes and wires and no one to miss her. If she died getting out of bed one morning she'd just be a body in the ground, covered in dirt with no one to miss her. It didn't matter either way so why bother, right? Then out of nowhere appeared the one person she needed most in the world, when she was needed most but Casey was still too afraid to change her mind. So she had decided to ignore the situation and hide it from Arizona, maybe share dinner and a few drinks then make some excuses about course work before getting a bus back home. What she hadn't counted on the stubbornness and persistence of Callie Torres though and so here she was in a dive bar comforting her weeping sort of mom and trying desperately to find the right words to comfort her. After a long few minutes soul searching, she finally settled on the only words she knew would work.

"OK...I'll do it."

TBC...


	7. Chapter 7

Callie tried to look nonchalant as Arizona and Casey made their way towards where she and Derek were seated. She had been watching the pair closely and although every fibre of her being had wanted to charge over and sweep Arizona into her arms she knew Derek was right in telling her to wait and let them sort things out between them.

She smilled at Arizona, putting as much love and support into it as possible and was rewarded with a small, sad smile in return. She turned her attention to Casey who had pulled herself together and was walking behind Arizona with her chin up and eyes fixed staight forward. The redhead caught Callie's stare and gave a half shrug and eye roll before looking at Derek and nodding once. Arizona drew level with Callie, grabbing for her hand and turned to the neuro-surgeon.

"Chief, I know this isn't exactly the time or place to be requesting this but I was wondering if I could take some time..."

"Done" Derek cut her off with a decisive nod of his head before addressing Casey.

"Miss Devereux, I'm glad you have decided to have the surgery" he smiled warmly.

"Well, yeah...I guess I was just a little cagey about letting someone who's nickname is 'McDreamy' crack my skull open and poke around. Your two cheerleaders here set me right though" she shot a cheeky grin back "and please call me Casey."

"OK Casey, I'm going to ask you to fast from midnight, I'd like to do your surgery tomorrow. If you could report to the surgical wing for your pre-op work up first thing in the morning."

Casey nodded and glanced at her watch. "I've still got time to stuff my face with pizza, who's with me?" She looked between Callie and Arizona who both nodded enthusuastically. "I saw this great looking place near my hotel earlier..."

"No!" Arizona interrupted "You can't stay in a hotel, you have to stay with us!" the blonde insisted before catching herself and looking guiltily at Callie "I mean...if it's ok with..."

"You are staying with us kid, no arguments" Callie interrupted, smiling warmly at her girlfriend's relief.

The trio trooped out of Joe's into the crisp night air and chatted easily as they took the short walk back to Callie's apartment. Both older women could tell that Casey was trying to think about anything but her upcoming operation and kept the topics rolling, happy as well to keep their own thoughts of the surgery at bay. Inwardly, Arizona was terrified that something catastrophic would happen during the procedure. She cursed her own knowledge as a surgeon, wishing she didn't know all too well the potential negative outcomes that could result from complications during the procedure.

Callie meanwhile was terrified for her girlfriend-she knew that if anything happended to the smart-mouthed red head, it would tear the paed's attending to pieces and, although she felt she had matured a lot in the last year and was fully committed to their relationship, Callie wasn't sure that she could be the person Arizona would need if things went bad for Casey. On top of that was the fact that, despite their rocky start, Casey had started to grow on her and she really, really wanted her to be ok.

They set up camp in the living room, scoffing pizza, trading stories and cringing over bad American Idol auditionees. It was easy and fun and there were almost moments where all three forgot about what was waiting for Casey in the morning. The elephant in the room couldn't be ignored forever and eventually it was Arizona who addressed the issue by standing up and stretching.

"It's late and we have an early start tomorrow" she acknowledged, trying her best to keep her tone even and calm "let me make up the couch for you Case."

"Arizona's right, I'll go ahead and and use the bathroom. G'night Casey" she leaned over to hug the redhead "I hope you get some sleep."

Between the two of them they had the couch made up in no time. "Need me to tuck you in Casey-Bear?" Arizona offered, only half joking.

"I think I'll manage, but I wouldn't say no to a hug..." Casey smiled as Arizona nearly vaulted over to her side of the couch and wrapped her in a bear hug "...as long as you don't start crying again. Seriously, you must be in danger of dehydrating at this point!" She was unable to keep her eyes from rolling as she felt faint splashes seep through the material of her t-shirt.

"I'm sorry" Arizona sniffled into her shoulder "I'm ok, I'm good." She pulled back and wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater. "When this is all over, we're going to talk about how you became such a smart ass, 'cause you certainly didn't get it from me!" Casey's only response was to smirk and raise an eyebrow. "Ok, maybe you got it a little from me...." the blonde conceded, giggling softly. "Goodnight, L'il C" she leaned in for one more quick hug.

"Night ZoZo" Casey whispered. She waited until Arizona had closed the door to her and Callie's bedroom before flopping onto the couch and dropping her head into her hands. Sleep was unlikely at this point. Dragging her backpack out from under the coffee table she pulled out her copy of 'Physiotherapy for Respiratory and Cardiac Problems: Adults and Paediatrics' textbook. Studying would keep her mind off her impending date with complex brain surgery and, on the off chance she didn't actually die, keep her up to speed with the rest of her class back east.

Arizona flipped off the light and crawled under the covers, wrapping herself around Callie like a limpet. She was physically and emotionally exhausted but knew that the worst was yet to come. She smiled into her girlfriend's shoulder when she felt a kiss being pressed into the top of her head.

"Ari, close your eyes and try get some sleep" Callie soothed, rubbing gentle circles across her girlfriend's shoulder blades- something that always sent her into a sleep so deep it was almost like a coma. They lay together like that, Callie whispering loving words of support and gently massaging Arizona's back until, eventually and quite unexpectedly, the two surgeons fell asleep.

TBC...

A/N: just a quick thanks to those who have commented so far, you rock! It's a big rugby weekend so it's unlikely I'll be able to post next chapter until Monday, _maybe_ Sunday though depending on how my guys do! ;)


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